College students are weird. There is no denying it. Even just the concept of paying thousands of dollars in hopes of being able to pay it off sometime over the next thirty years is pretty weird. There are a lot of other parts of being a college student that definitely does not fit in with societal norms. Here are some of the strangest.
1. Asking a stranger to watch your stuff
Whether you're in the library or the dining hall, you don't want to leave your stuff unattended. You've got your laptop and expensive textbooks to take care of. Of course, it isn't fun to pack everything up just to run to the bathroom either. Even socially awkward college students step out of their shell to call someone out to watch their stuff. Before college, this would have been so weird. Why trust someone you don't know? Well, it's better than leaving it there without telling someone your stuff is there, and you don't want it taken.
2. Saving Takeout Containers
College students are poor. We don't have the money to be buying fancy Tupperware all of the time. It's so much easier to save the container my Kung Pao Chicken came in and use it to hold leftover pizza.
3. Sneaking Food Out of the Dining Hall
Yeah, the rule about buffet dining halls is that you don't take food out, but what else are you to do with all of those takeout containers you've been saving. I will say it again and probably 1,000 more times: college students are poor. That dining plan isn't cheap. We have to see it through that we are getting out money's worth of food. While most people would never take food out of a buffet at a restaurant, somehow it seems much more legitimate to take food out of the dining hall.
4. Napping in Public
Napping in public sounds kind of scary at first. After you have been studying in the library four six or seven hours, sometimes, you just have to put your head down for a minute or thirty. It always feels like someone s going to come mess with you, but as long as you can find a quiet corner, you should be fine. If you're lucky, some friends will watch over you to make sure nothing happens. Sometimes you just need the extra ten minutes of shuteye before your next class, but you don't have time to run back to your dorm.
5. Jumping at the sound of anything free
Free food, free coffee, free WiFi... The list goes on. I can't tell you how many free stress ball I've collected from groups on campus. I have at least ten. If becomes almost an obsession. "Did you know they are handing out free ice cream for anyone who listens to a guy talk about how important it is to ride your bike?" Sign me up! "If you donate your kidney, they will give you free Chipotle." I didn't really need two anyway.
6. Joking About Your Condition
Maybe this isn't the best of things that college students do. It's easy to pretend that you're okay when you actually have three tests, a quiz, two papers, and a speech all due in two days, and you also have to avoid eye contact with that someone who lives in your dorm because you think you offended them somehow. On one hand, this is SO relatable. Every college student feels like this at some point. On the other hand, know when you need to get some help. Most colleges have a counseling center. Worst case scenario, you call a hotline and just talk to someone to help you work things out. Your work is important, but so is your mental condition. If you find yourself overly stressing out, it might be time to look for some help.
